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Israel Jails Soldier Who Assaulted Palestinian during US Media Interview

Israeli Border police officers secure the scene where a suspected ramming attack took place in Jerusalem, February 10, 2023. (Reuters)
Israeli Border police officers secure the scene where a suspected ramming attack took place in Jerusalem, February 10, 2023. (Reuters)
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Israel Jails Soldier Who Assaulted Palestinian during US Media Interview

Israeli Border police officers secure the scene where a suspected ramming attack took place in Jerusalem, February 10, 2023. (Reuters)
Israeli Border police officers secure the scene where a suspected ramming attack took place in Jerusalem, February 10, 2023. (Reuters)

Israel's military on Monday jailed for 10 days a soldier who assaulted a Palestinian activist as he was speaking to a US journalist, but gave an account of the incident that was disputed by the interviewer.

The incident in Hebron also set off an internal Israeli flap, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir - one of several hundred hardline Jewish settlers living in the flashpoint city in the occupied West Bank - voicing full support for the soldier.

In a video posted on Twitter by Lawrence Wright of The New Yorker magazine, the soldier grabs Issa Amro by his jacket and neck and throws him to the ground. He then lands a kick to Amro's backside before being pulled away by another soldier.

"I never had a source assaulted in front of me until today when an Israeli soldier who stopped my interview did this," Wright tweeted.

The military said the event began when the soldier, guarding a military post, asked the Palestinian who approached the post to step away.

"In response, the Palestinian began recording and cursing the soldier. A verbal confrontation followed, which soon became a physical confrontation, during which the soldier hit the Palestinian," it said in a statement.

"As the video shows, the soldier did not act as expected and did not follow the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) code of conduct."

However, in a Twitter response, Wright said: "The IDF misrepresented what led to this. The soldier initiated the encounter, Amro did not curse him only asked to call his commander. Nothing to justify the violent assault that followed."

The military declined to comment further.

Ben-Gvir called the soldier's sentence - which included a suspension from active combat duties - a "disgrace" and described Amro as an anarchist.

"I fully support the soldier, who did not remain silent. Soldiers deserve to be backed up, not jailed," Ben-Gvir tweeted.

Amro, described by Wright as a peace activist, accused the minister of trying to get him killed.

"The soldiers are listening to @itamarbengvir not to their military occupation commanders," Amro tweeted.

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Hezbollah Reiterates Its Refusal to Enter the War

Speaker Nabih Berri (dpa) 
Speaker Nabih Berri (dpa) 
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Hezbollah Reiterates Its Refusal to Enter the War

Speaker Nabih Berri (dpa) 
Speaker Nabih Berri (dpa) 

The US military intervention alongside Israel in its war against Iran has sparked growing concern in Lebanon, mixing fear with uncertainty about what lies ahead, especially as the region awaits Iran’s response.

Lebanese citizens are questioning whether Iran will retaliate solely against Israel or also strike nearby US military bases. Some speculate that Iran might avoid targeting American bases in neighboring countries that have shown solidarity with Tehran, as maintaining these relationships could help Iran push for an end to the war and a return to US-Iranian dialogue.

Despite mounting regional tension, Hezbollah continues to avoid direct military involvement. This position aligns with the recent statements of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who affirmed that Hezbollah will not intervene.

While some interpreted Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem’s pledge of “full support to Iran in any way we deem appropriate” as a divergence, sources say the party is fully aligned with Berri.

Berri maintains that dialogue between Washington and Tehran is the only path to halting the conflict and addressing Iran’s nuclear file. His stance is echoed by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and other political actors.

US envoy Thomas Barrack, currently stationed in Türkiye, reportedly discussed these matters with Lebanese officials and promised to return in three weeks, hoping for progress toward a ceasefire and the implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which calls for Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon and for weapons to be under the exclusive control of the Lebanese state.

According to sources, the US escalation has prompted behind-the-scenes consultations between Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, and Lebanese state officials. These talks aim to evaluate the situation and ensure Lebanon remains out of the regional conflict.

Hezbollah remains firm in its decision not to engage militarily, refusing to offer Israel a pretext to expand the war into Lebanon. Despite internal solidarity with Iran, Hezbollah is keenly aware that joining the war would not shift the military balance, which now involves advanced weaponry beyond its capabilities.

The sources added that the party is also mindful of Lebanese Shiite public sentiment, which favors stability over another devastating war. Memories of past conflicts, including the toll of Hezbollah’s support for Gaza, linger. Fears of displacement and economic ruin are driving many in Beirut’s southern suburbs to sell their homes, often at steep losses.